B.J.Botha, Springbok Strongman, visits Hartford House

B.J. BothaWhilst on the subject of the Springboks, it was a lovely surprise to find among a host of foreign guests from Austria, Holland, Bavaria, Germany, Scotland and the UK last evening, that Springbok front ranker, B.J.Botha and his lovely wife Taryn, were guests at the hotel last evening. Those that watched our front row agonizing in their struggle against the Argentineans on Sunday, would’ve given anything to have B.J on the tighthead, not to mention the fact that in the World Cup Final he is the only South African player equipped to cope with Andrew Sheridan, who’s pretty much put to waste all his opposition thus far. Supremacy in the pack, particularly in Europe, is critical to the stability of the set piece ball, and there can be no South African who isn’t lamenting B.J’s absence. No doubt, everyone joins us in wishing him a happy stay while he’s here.

There is of course, another dimension to his visit. Like him, some of us are also deeply rooted in the hallowed portals of the Durban High School, which incidentally, also spawned the “father” of Argentinean (or “Pumas”, as they’ve come to be known) rugby, Izak van Heerden.